William Crozier’s Flanders Fields (1962) – one of the most recent acquisitions at National Gallery of Ireland – goes on view today in the Irish galleries of the Millennium Wing. Flander’s Fields is an animated composition of an isolated naked figure crouching and appears engulfed by a whirlwind of colour. It represents a sense of mortality and vulnerability, a universal quality that links it with other works in the collection, most notably, Jack B. Yeats’s Grief and Louis le Brocquy’s A Family. Glasgow-born Crozier (1930-2011) became an Irish citizen in 1973 and divided his time between Hampshire and Kilcoe in West Cork. He was a prominent figure in the London art world in the 1950’s and 1960’s and exhibited with, among others, David Hockney and Francis Bacon.
Sean Rainbird, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland said: “Flander’s Fields is a major work in the artist’s oeuvre of the early 1960’s and will take its place among a significant number of works of art which have been recently added to the collection. They include Colin Davidson’s portrait of the poet and anthologist, Michael Longley and Jacob Epstein’s bronze head of the eminent physician, Dr. Solomons Snr. These are works of the highest quality and we look forward to displaying more of them over the course of 2013.”
Among other recent acquisitions are: William Conor (1881-1968) Girl with Buckets, 1950’s; Sean Keating (1889-1977) Homage to Jimmy and Frans (Portrait of Jimmy O’Dea), 1963: Harry Aaron Kernoff (1920-1974) Miss Joan Wall (1920-2011), 1941: Jackie Nickerson (b.1960) Seamus Heaney (b. 1939), Poet, Playwright, Translator, Nobel Laureate, 2007: Roderic O’Conor (1860-1940) Portrait of a Man, possibly Paul Sérusier, 1895; Walter Frederick Osborne (1859-1903) In the Life Class, 1894; Walter Frederick Osborne (1859-1903) Portrait of Mrs Mary Louise (May) Gwynn (d.1941), c.1903; Edward James Rogers (1872-1938) Sylvia, c. 1929 and AE [George Russell] (1867-1935) Fairies in a Wood.

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Around 800 lots of antique furniture, art, silver and collectibles will come under the hammer at Mealy’s spring sale of fine and decorative art on March 5. The sale is at Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny but Mealy’s, which has just launched a new website, will offer a selection of Tribal art through remove viewing. Around 40 lots from the collection of Igor and Erica Mann in Kenya will be sold based on images, video and condition reports. The catalogue is on-line. Here is a small selection (you can click on any image to enlarge it).

A late 19th century Luba stool from the Kabongo workshop in the Congo. It is estimated at 20,000-30,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 15,000

William Sadler II RHA (1782-1839), Figures at the edge of a river, cottage and church spire beyond (1,500-2,500). UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,800

An Angolan Chokwe tribal mask (2,000-3,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,600

A Victorian walnut, marquetry and parcel gilt cabinet with needlework tapestry (3,000-4,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,200

A Victorian fruitwood tub armchair (500-700). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

A diamond brooch formed as a phoenix (2,500-3,500). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

An exceptional group of furniture by French Art Deco cabinet maker, Armand Albert Rateau (1882-1938) for the private apartments of the Duchess of Alba, doña María del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay (1900-1934) in the Liria Palace, Madrid will come under the hammer at Christie’s Paris on May 23. Commissioned between 1920-1921 by her husband, Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Falco (1878-1953), 17th Duke of Alba, probably on the occasion of their marriage on 7th October 1920 at the Spanish Embassy in London, these pieces are amongst the most famous and legendary creations produced by the designer/cabinet maker/sculptor, trained at the renowned École Boulle.
The project was one of the three prestigious commissions that launched Rateau’s career after he began working independently in 1919. The first was the Blumenthal swimming pool in New York, followed in early 1920 by a call from Jeanne Lanvin to design the interior of her mansion, rue Barbet-de-Jouy in Paris, as well as her houses in Le Vésinet. The Duke of Alba commission arrived soon. Among the pieces on offer at Christie’s art two large dark green patinated floor lamps “aux oiseaux”(1.5-2 million each), a dark green patinated bronze and black marble low table “aux oiseaux” (1.5-2 million), a dark green patinated and marble dressing table (600,000-800,000), a carved giltwood and bronze adjustable day bed (400,000-600,000) and a white marble bath tub (150,000-200,000), all dating from 1921.
With origins dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries the House of Alba is one of the most important families of the Castilian high nobility and the most celebrated in Spain.

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A bedroom from the Morrison Hotel as it used to be, showing furnishings to be auctioned.

As the Morrison Hotel Dublin re-opens as a DoubleTree by Hilton furnishings from the original hotel designed by John Rocha will be auctioned in a warehouse near Naas on March 9. The Morrison – one of several high profile hotels which came to market after Ireland’s spectacular property crash – was bought last year by billionaire Russian businesswoman Elena Baturina. A seven million euro refurbishment followed. The Morrison opened in 1999 and the auction by Matthews Auctioneers will include more than 400 lots of John Rocha designed furnishings and 150 lots from the hotel’s art collection. There are 68 paintings by Cléa van der Grijn and five sculptures by Patrick O’Reilly in a revenue clearance no reserve auction of over 1,000 lots. The location for the sale is Tougher Business Park, Naas with viewing from March 7.

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The Sunday Interiors auction at James Adam, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin on March 3 offers a wide variety of lots of interest to collectors. The catalogue for the sale of 600 lots is on-line. Here is a small selection.

A 19th century Japanese ivory netsuke of a rat on a rope with inlaid eyes. (250-350) UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,100

A Japanese bronze vase, Meji Period (500-800). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

A late George III rent table (2,000-4,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,400

Spreading the Word of God Oil attributed to Cornelis de Vos (1584-1651) (1,000-1,500). UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,200

A pair of Chinese blue and white baluster vases (600-800). UPDATE: THESE MADE 570

A pair of Famille Rose vases adapted as table lamps (600-800). UPDATE: THESE WERE UNSOLD

A pair of Beleek period models of seated hounds (600-800). UPDATE: THESE MADE 1,200

A four piece tea set made by Royal Irish Silver in Dublin in 1969 is a highlight at Woodwards auction of silver and collectibles in Cork on February 27. Antique Irish silver pieces include a salver by Samuel Le Bas, Dublin, 1865, a soup ladle with shell bowl by William French, Dublin, 1771, a fiddle pattern sugar tongs by Richard Sawyer, Dublin, 1814 and a sifter ladle by John Smyth, Dublin. There is a collection of Chelsea porcelain figures as well as some Waterford Crystal. The catalogue is on-line. Here is a small selection.

Four piece Royal Irish silver tea and coffee service profusely embossed and decorated in Irish farmyard style on twist legs with paw feet and lionmask knuckles, 1969 1,975g (2,000-2,600) UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,800

A George IV Irish silver bright cut strainer spoon with Old Irish point handle with crest by John Sheils, Dublin, 1810, (800-1,200) UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

A George III Irish silver sauceboat with reeded rim and scroll handle, on three shell capped pad feet by George West, Dublin, c.1795, (350-450). UPDATE: THIS MADE 320

A George II Irish silver wine funnel with beaded rim and removable strainer by William Williamson, Dublin, c.1750, (550-750). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

Around 400 lots of jewellery, silverware, watches and paintings will come under the hammer at O’Reilly’s of Francis St., Dublin on February 27. Highlights include a 5.7 carat sapphire ring, an Art Deco diamond and aquamarine pendant and an antique continental diamond necklace from the estate of the late Hildegard Hayes who, prior to her marriage to Irish artist Ernest Hayes was Baroness Von Hobe of Germany. The catalogue is on-line. Here is a small selection from what is on offer. You can click on any image to enlarge it.

THE Lavit Gallery, home of Cork Arts Society, celebrates its 50th anniversary today with an exhibition by artists who have shown there. The Lavit 50 Years On features work by John Behan, Liam Belton, Ana Duncan, James English, Mike Fitzharris, Tim Goulding, Arthur Maderson, Eilis O’ Connell, Michael Quane, Thomas Ryan and Neil Shawcross and Robert Ballagh. Plans for forthcoming exhibitions in 2013 include Gallery Friends in cooperation with the Taylor and Solomon Galleries in Dublin and the Cauldwell Gallery in Belfast. Set up by artists to promote an interest in the arts in Cork it shows the work of over 200 artists. Here is a small selection from the show, which runs until March 16.

A Russian solid silver automated ballerina in the form of a Fabergé egg surmounted by an eagle was one of the more unusual lots at Hegarty’s auction in Bandon in west Cork this week. Measuring just 12 inches high it sold for 1,800.

The emphasis of the sale was on a collection of Irish Republican memorabilia (see post on antiquesandartireland.comfor February 15, 2013) but antique furniture created much interest too. A good quality 19th century rosewood and maple wood workbox made around 1890 sold for 1,250. A c1810 foldover card table made 1,350, a William IV foldover tea table made 1,150 and an early 20th century desk by Edwards & Roberts of London sold for 1,350.

Furniture, photographs, scale models and documents by Eileen Gray (1878-1976) are featured in a retrospective by the Irish designer at the Centre Pompidou in Paris until May 20. The exhibition pays tribute to a designer of genius, whose work traverses the Art Deco period and the Modern Movement. Along with Le Corbusier and Mies Van Der Rohe, Eileen Gray ranks among the architects and designers who have left a significant mark on the 20th century and defined modernity. One of the leading figures in French decorative arts in the 1910’s and 1920’s Gray continues to inspire artists to this day in fields ranging from photography to textiles, from lacquer painting to architecture.

She never developed industrial production. Each of her pieces is unique and rare. Gray’s masterpiece – a manifesto of modernity – remains the house E1027, built in Roquebrune, Cap-Martin in 1929, in close collaboration with Romanian architect Jean Badovici.

Centre Pompidou say the exhibition highlights the career and the work of an artist who managed to associate tremendous technical virtuosity with an inimitable poetic force, excelling particularly in lacquer and textiles, but also in a new conception of space and of the relationship to furniture and objects.

The catalogue and album (bilingual) is published by Éditions du Centre Pompidou under the direction of curator Cloé Pitiot. Taking place against the background of Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union Culture Ireland, the Centre Culturel Irlandais and the Embassy of Ireland in Paris are delighted to be associated with this retrospective. (Click on any image to enlarge it).